Blogs from Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, Europe

With little other options, Kyle actually joined us for breakfast this morning. Dining in the same spot at dinner the night before everyone filled themselves between the buffet and hot dinner order before we finished packing up. As checkout was the same time as our tour end, we packed up the car ahead of time. The maintenance man/ tour guide took us around the estate the next 2.5 hours sharing immense amount of information about the history of Ireland, progression of the house through that history, details on the fauna, and even stories about his own life. He talked all over the place which drove me a bit crazy, but we learned a lot. We also walked the beautiful estate setting it from many angles. Every photo we took was just phenomenal. I can't wait to ... read more

We had reserved space on a full-day tour of Connemara. Turned out to be three of us in a minivan with tour guide Tony! We met him at the Cathedral, which was built in 1965 (just looks old). First stop was Aughnanure Castle, built by the Fearsome O'Flahertys in the 16th century. Close to the shores of Lough Corrib, which was a bit closer at the time, it fell in and out of O'Flaherty hands until transferred to the Office of Public Works. We had a great guide show us around and explain what we were seeing. There was the tower house, surrounded by a wall and a moat and dry dock. A banquet hall was added later, off to the side, and there was another wall farther out, between the house and the lake. Another ... read more

In a winding turn on a road in Connemara a majestic abbey raises her head: the Kylemore Abbey. A hunting lodge originally stood where the Abbey is today. We toured this castle that was created for Mitchell Henry’s wife, Margaret, after 1850. The Abbey currently is the home of Benedictine nuns who have been apart of Kylemore since 1920. It also was once an International Boarding School. Down a rather long path, we stepped into the Walled Gardens, a six-acre garden that uniquely uses plants and flowers introduced to Ireland before 1901. It’s a spectacular display of floral specimens including herbs. There was a big porker hanging on one side of the gardens and after we met her, Kathy who is on tour with us, meandered with me through the fairy garden, and then many of ... read more

I-rish you a very nice place to live,I-rish God's greatest gifts he'll give.I-rish you health, and wealth, and more--I-rish your smilin' face were at my door! Magical Moments from our journey that I soon not (wish) to forget: Sean Finnigan, our Dublin beloved tour-guide. The OchoKlan began our first full day, with such joy and God allowed Sean to walk through the hotel doors, arriving for his tour for 2 from Texas. Your passion for your hometown lead us through market-places from old, churches from "new", parks with amazing historical neighbors & owners, hotels and former residences with the history of the country in every brick. "Far Enough?" oh.. yes, ... read more

At 10:30am on September 10th the twelve API students and our Irish family; Finn and Kevin and their kids Owen, Aisling, and Roisin, boarded a bus that just fit all of us and we started our journey out the the wild lands of Connemara. Before we got way into the land we stopped at a market on the side of the road. The market was one of people coming together and trading farm animals. We saw chickens and ducks, goats and sheep, even two dogs. People were bartering and buying, checking livestock for health conditions, and speaking in Irish. A group of us became particularly smitten with a little puppy. The other dog with her, I assume it was her mother, kept putting her paws on my leg and staring into my eyes with her deep ... read more